Applicator for dye and the like



F. E. BEEBE APPLICATOR FOR DYE AND THE LIKE April 29, v1952 2SHEETS-SHEET l Filed April 9, 1949 Nm; bm,

W5/WOR HMM/CK E. 35555 TTORA/ff April 29, 1952 F. E. BEEBE APPLICATORFOR DYE THE LIKE 2 SHEETS-SIiEET 2 Filed April 9, 1949 310mg the lineIl-I I of 112 i s,atop plan view of ogneendof the novel Patented Apr.29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPLICATOR FOR DYE AND THE LIKEFredrick E. Beebe, Willoughby, Ohio Application April 9, 1949, Serial No. 86,921

4 Claims. l

The invention relates to applicator means for simultaneously combing thehair and applying treating iluid thereto. It is particularly adapted "tothe application of hair dye to the hair while protecting the scalp fromdischarge of dye thereon.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending applicationSerial N o. 667 ,260, led May 3, 1946, now abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide novel and improved meansassociated with a hair comb for retaining a quantity of fluid when thecomb is notV in use, and for continuously discharging a fresh quantityof fluid adjacent the comb teeth as the previously discharged liuid isremoved by the combing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel comb ofthe typedescribed wherein a liquid holding reservoir runs longitudinally of thecomb and communicates with a Wick-receiving channel so constructed thata Wick-inserting and Wick-removing tool may be passed into thereservoir.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of anovel reinforced Wick for use "in a comb of the type'described.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent I from a study of thefollowing specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsshowing one embodiment of the invention in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View through 'a hair'comb embodyingmy invention, the parts being shown in side elevation;

Figs. 2 and 3 are elevational views from respectively the left and rightends of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken respectively'on'lines 4 4 and 5-5 'of Figi;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view generally similar to Fig. 4, but showing aslightly modied form of the invention; Fig. 7 is a longitudinallyextending sectional View through a inodied form of my device showing animproved wick and wick-inserting tool which has moved the wick partiallyinto its receiving channel; Fig. 8 is a sectional 3 8 of Fig. 7 butshowing the wick and insertv ing "tool in their fully inserted position;

iFig. Y9 is a sectional view taken at the right hand end of Fig. 7 andshowing a tool in position to vremove the wick;

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line Ill-Ill ofFig. 8;

Fig. 1l is a transverse sectional view taken Fig. 9; While View takenalong the line wick showing the manner of gripping the same with theinserting tool.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a hair comb body II)having the usual series of spaced teeth I I. The comb body is providedwith a longitudinal trough or channel I2 opening towards the teeth, and,in the embodiment shown, communicating with the inner ends of the spacesI3 between the teeth. The comb is further provided with a handle portionI II connected with the comb by means of a neck I5. In the embodimentshown the neck terminates in a threaded socket IS and the handle I4 hasa complementary threaded plug I1 seatable in the socket.

The handle carries a fluid receptacle or bulb which, as here shown, ismade of rubber or similar resiliently yieldable and leak-proof material.The bulb is provided with a discharge neck I9 surrounding andgri'pping ahollow nipple 20 attached to the handle. Said nipple is in communicationwith channel I2 through a passageway 22 extending centrally through plugIl. At its right end the bulb I3 has an intake spout 24 provided with anintake .port 25 extending therethrough. The spout is provided with aremovable closure member, such as screw cap 26.

It will be apparent that the bulb I3 may be nlled in the conventionalmanner by compressing its resilient walls and inserting intake spout 24into the treating fluid, thereafter permitting the fluid to be suckedinto the expanding bulb. A check valve 2l within nipple 2!) preventsreverse flow of fluid or air through channel I2 and passageway 22 intobulb I8.

Seated in channel l2 is a wick S which lies partly in the channel andextends partly outwardly into the inner ends of the spaces I 3 betweenthe teeth, as best seen in Figs. l and 5. When it is desire-fl to usethe applicator, the bulb I8 is -compressed so as to discharge a quantityof iluid through passageway 22 to wick 39. During the operation ofcombing the hair, the fluid is transferred to the hair from the exposedportions of the wick, being continuously replaced by fresh fluid fromthe body of the wick and its feeding channel.

In order to insure an even distribution of the fiuid'to the wick 39, alongitudinal bored aperture 3| is provided immediately adjacent andparallel to channel I2, the aperture communicating with the channelthrough a necked slot 32. The fluid first completely lls theunobstructed aperture or reservoir portion SI when the bulb i8 isslightly compressed, and thereafter the fluid flows to. thepwick throughslot 32. As will be seen reference to Fig; l, the space abetweentheinner end or plug Il and the inner face of socket IG constitutes aheader space communicating both with channel l2 and with aperture 3l.

Fig. 6 shows a slightly modified embodiment of the invention wherein thewick has incorporated therein a stiiening strip 34 of metal or othersuitable material. The strip extends longitudinally throughoutsubstantially all of the length of the wick. The practical advantage ofstrip 34 is that it aids in the insertion of the wick in channel I2.Such aid will be appreciated when the wick material is a snug lit in thechannel.

The advantage of a structure of the nature just described will beparticularly apparent in connection with its use for applying dye fluidto the hair. As is well-known to those who have attempted to use hairdye, one of the disadvantages of the operation lies in the fact that itis diiicult to evenly distribute the dye, and consequently the dye has atendency to ow inwardly s over the scalp. This results in imparting tothe scalp a disagreeable color which detracts from the naturalappearance of the scalp and hair. When dye is applied by means o thedevice just described, substantially all of the dye is applied e evenlyto the hair and very little or none comes in contact with the scalp.

If the bulb I8 is of non-resilient material, it will act as a dyereservoir and reed to wick 33 if ball check 21 is omitted. But I preferthe y.'

positive feed provided when bulb IB is of rubber or the like.

A modied form of my 7 to 1l inclusive. In this device is shown in Figs.form, the comb 35 has a plurality of parallel teeth 3E; in the usualmanner. Extending longitudinally through the comb is a reservoir 31which is somewhat of a keyhole shape as more clearly shown in Figs. 10and ll. It includes a generally cylindrical reservoir proper 31a and adepending trough 31h which is cut through the bases of the teeth 36 asclearly shown in Fig. 7. The reservoir 31 communicates at the right handend oi Fig. 7 with a recess 38 which may be threaded to receive a rubberbulb I4 like that described in connection with Fig. 1, or the rubberbulb may have a force i'lt in the recess 38. The reservoir portion 31ais large enough to receive a wick-inserting tool 39 embracing areinforced wick construction as shown in Figs. 'I and 8, as will belater more fully described.

The present invention also includes a novel form of wick for use in thecomb just described. In this form of wick, a strip of stili reinforcingmaterial 40 is embraced by wicking material 4l which is folded in U-formso as to extend down one side of the strip 40, fold under the bottom.

and extend up the other side. strip 49 is of a material which is readilyperforated by the needle of a sewing machine of standard character sothat the wicking may be secured to the strip 40 by a line of stitching42. It will be noted that the width of the strip 40 when measured in thegeneral direction of the plane of teeth 36 is substantially equal to thedepth or the reservoir 31a plus the trough 31h when measured in the samedirection minus the thickness of the wicking. This is clearly seen inFigs. 10 and 11. The line of stitching 42 is positioned to lie near thatside of the reservoir 31a which is nearer to the channel 31h. In fact,in the form shown, it is approximately along the zone where thereservoir 31a meets the trough 31h. This leaves free edges Ma along thetop of the wicking parallel tothe upper edge of the Preferably, the Iportion passing through the strip 40 for insertion of the tool 39 aswill presently appear.

For inserting and removing the wick in the comb structure, I provide thespecial tool 39 mentioned above. This comprises a handle portion 39a.having a bifurcated end including the two arms 33h and 39e extendingfrom the handle. A cheap form of this device is provided by bending astrip of metal back upon itself in one continuous form to provide theparts 39a, 33h and 39e. A sleeve 39d may then be slipped upon thebifurcated end to maintain the grip of these ends on the wick betweenthem. The manner of gripping the wick for inserting the same in the combwill be clearly seen in Figs. 7, 8, 10 and 12. The tool 39 is applied tothe wick as shown in Fig. l2. The bifurcated ends 39h and 39o are spreadapart to receive the reinforcing strip 40 between them. The tool 33 isapplied to the strip 40 along its upper edge as clearly shown in Fig. 10and above the line of stitching 42. The lips 41a of the upper end of thewicking part easily to permit this operation. The tool and wick are theninserted longitudinally into the aperture in the comb as shown in Figs."I and 8. The sleeve 33d pressing against the end of the strip 40 asshown in Fig. 8 shoves the wick home to its iinal position as shownthere.

The removal of the wick is illustrated in Fig. 9 using the longer arm39h of the tool 39. This longer arm has its tip end turned over asindicated at 39e to provide a short hook. The strip 40 has an aperture40a drilled through it at the end nearer the mouth 38 oi the comb. Thisopening may have registering openings through the wicking 4l althoughthis is not necessary as the lips 4ta may be parted to permit theinsertion of the hook 39e through the opening 40a as shown in Fig. 9. Apull on the wick then removes it from the comb. It will be noted thatthe opening 40a is located abovethe line of stitching 42 for easy accessin removal. The operation of the modification shown in Figs. 7 to 12inclusive is similar to that of my rst described form. Liquid to beapplied to the hair may be placed in the rubber bulb i4 or a similarbulb which is attached to the mouth 38 oi the comb 35. A small amount ofthe liquid may then be squeezed into the reservoir portion 31a. where itwill get into the wicking M and be carried to the bases of the teeth 36for direct contact with the `hair as the comb is drawn through the same.At the same time, I have provided a wick with its central reinforcingstrip 40 and a line of stitching 42 attaching the wicking to thereinforcement so that the wicking does not ball up or get out of placein use. At the same time, the reservoir 31 is made large enough toreceive the tool 39 gripping the strip 40 for insertion of the wick, asotherwise users would have diiculty in making efficient use of myinvention. The removal of the wick is very easy as illustrated in Fig.9.

What I claim is:

1. A comb for the purpose described comprising a unitary comb bodyprovided with a series of spaced teeth extending from one side thereof,said body and teeth lying generally in the same plane, said body havinga passageway extending longitudinally through the central portionthereof, said passageway being of substantially uniform sectionthroughout its length, said passageway being generally of key-hole formin section and having a generally cylindrical portion communicating witha trough portion, said trough bases 'of the comb teeth and communicatingdirectly with said teeth, and a wick lying in both portions of saidpassageway, said wick having a sheet of wicking folded in U-form about astrip of stiff reinforcement, said trough portion being of a width tosnugly receive said wick and said cylindrical portion being Wider thansaid trough portion to receive said wick plus an inserting instrument.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein a row of stitching secures saidsheet of wicking to said reinforcement, said row of stitching extendinggenerally parallel to, and on the trough portion side of, the axis ofsaid cylindrical portion.

3. A wick for use in a comb of the type described and comprising anelongated rectangular flat strip of stiff reinforcement, and a sheet ofwicking folded over one of the longitudinal edges of said reinforcementand secured thereto.

4. A wick for use in a comb of the type delscribed and comprising anelongated rectangular flat strip of stiff reinforcement, and a sheet ofwicking folded over one of the longitudinal edges of said reinforcement,portions of said wicking extending along both flat sides of said strip,and

-a row of stitching parallel to said one longitudinal edge and securingsaid reinforcement.

wicking portions to said FREDRICK E. BEEBE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

